How did it go? Any YouTube clips?
That Skirky show with Disappointing Bob and Fern Teather…
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Musings on the byways of popular culture
How did it go? Any YouTube clips?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I hear Bob’s crowdsurfing was impressive. But exposing himself was a bad move.
He was Bobsleighing on the punters?
From my point of view in the cheap seats, it was a triumph. The Institute is generally a hotbed of acoustic croonery, and so when a big ol’ lump of a fella in a Wu-Tang Clan t-shirt sets up a couple of keyboards with all the Belgian Whistles and starts triggering drum machines it could go either way. Half way through the second song Mrs Skirky – a woman of taste and refinement, but not averse to expressing herself in pithy terms – leaned over and muttered “I love it, we need to own this” and the rest of the audience were clearly in accord.* The set just got better as it went on and a solo choirboy relaxed into it.
It’s a necessarily tricky endeavour when you’re driving everything, knocking out the choruses on guitar and still having to sing, but the artist formerly known as Bobtheidiot pulled it off with aplomb**. And what a voice! No hint of studio trickery here, and he sang a blinder, closing with a double whammy of a mystery cover version (well played sir!) and seasonal closer of ‘A Pretty Good Christmas’, which is where most of us on the blog came in.
I think DB would probably agree that the advantage of playing to a ‘listening’ room, makes for a far more pleasant gig experience for everyone, and the entertainers’ etiquette was impeccably observed – everyone watched everyone else, and soundchecks were out of the way before doors at seven thirty. A credit to the hard work and dedication that the founders of LatI spent building the night up into what it became.
*I shouldn’t think they’ll be putting “Like Erasure, fronted by Morrissey” on the posters anytime soon, mind.
**You can have that – it’s a gift.
Splendid! And Fern?
Beautifully gentle fingerpicking acoustic, counterpointed by some sensitive bongo and conga playing (emphtically ‘playing’, not just thumping along). Points of reference probably best explained by her cover of ‘Fast Car’ half way through. She commented that the last time she’d played The Institute she had just started a crowdfunding page to record an album and here, two years later, she had the last CD copy on the merch table.
Karma – that’s great story (the CD)! I was wondering if the bongo guy would be there.
What about your set with Helen & the boys? Don’t be shy… was it a barnstormer?
PS I see the Bobster has just posted at the same time as me, revealing all.
Ah man, thank you! I did feel like I was flying by the seat of my pants without Katy there, but it came off quite nicely in the end! 😊
What Mr Skirky isn’t telling you is that his lot, the wonderfully named Helen & the Neighbourhood Dogs, played an absolute killer. Helen isn’t just the owner of one of the more gorgeous voices I’ve heard in recent years: she’s also a dab hand on the flute and penny whistle. Backed up by a band who manage to groove ridiculously hard despite not a drum between them, it’s one of those “can’t lose” scenarios. And with four singers to choose from, the harmonies were just gorgeous. Special mention to Skirks himself, who as well as being genuinely ace at onstage patter is a guitarist of frankly annoying ability – and to Fiddly, who plays (you guessed it) fiddle, and who ties the whole outfit together. His lines were heart-melting stuff, genuinely and transcendentally beautiful. (And this is coming from someone who is a folk and fiddle unbeliever most of the time.) Seriously, the bloke’s a genius.
And @Skirky – you lot need to get Tony’s “Moonlight” song really well recorded. It’s a hit, I swear to god.
It was such a pleasure of a night, in every way.
Our pleasure. Thanks for coming. 🙂
https://songsfromthebluehouse.bandcamp.com/track/the-girl-with-the-scrambled-yellow-hair
That’s a really nice song. Good mix too. Listening to it in bed and Mrs Wells said who was that – good isn’t it ? .
You know what, I’m bloody loving the “Erasure fronted by Morrissey” thing, on reflection. Having that! 🙂
Here’s me doing some stuff towards the end of the set and being briefly stitched up by the Spirit of The Boss. Unfortunately, the memory card ran out of space before A Pretty Good Christmas had really got going 🙁
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wSheHR0Kmw
D’ya know what? That was really rather good (as long as I can un-see those knees.)
They’re in jeans, you mentalist!
Oh very good! (Weren’t you cold?) Nice whistling.
‘A Pretty Good Christmas’ has been getting me in a Christmassy mood. 🙂
Haha! I was wearing jeans! My legs don’t bloody look like that!
It really, really looks like shorts. 🙂
If my skin did THAT I would never wear shorts as long as I lived!
I think it’s just the shadow falling slightly unfortunately.
Yeah you look like a MAMIL. Not in a bad way. Just like you might do a lot of cycling. 🙂
Almost as if! 🙂
It makes you look like you have Chris Hoy’s sturdy thighs.
*bashful face* I do actually have comically muscly cyclist legs, but luckily not baggy knee skin.
Anyway, here’s some more songs from last night, in which I trust it will become clear that I was in fact wearing jeans 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp_8iy0aink
“UnfortunateBob?”
I’m going to have to find some kind of insulting alternative version of *your* screen name if you keep this up, Colin. 😉
GrovellingApologiesAcceptorBob…? 🙂
😉
The proof!
I’ll be sending Skirky the videos of H&tND as soon as they’ve uploaded to Dropbox. Mine will probably up in due course. 🙂
Here’s our opener. As they say, it’s all uphill from here… https://youtu.be/U-pM1r7uzq8
I wonder why you’re clips aren’t posting properly? Let me try (nice changes in this one!):
No vids of Fern Teather and bongo man?
Yes, but I’ve sent it to Fern. Not for me to put her stuff on our YouTube channel 🙂
Ditto Helen and the Dogs. I daresay Skirky will put the vids I’ve sent him up in due course!
This just in… http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/and-tenner-on-mince-pies.html
Aw Mr K, that’s lovely. It was such a good night. 🙂
Will you be doing any more of these triple bill shows, chaps? It’s relatively rare these days but there was a period in America in the very early 70s where three-artist bills were almost the norm on the college circuit. One of the greatest live recordings of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, for instance, comes from a set at a college gymnasium in Cleveland in April 72 when they were third on the bill to Procol Harum and West, Bruce & Lang.
Can you just imagine a San Francisco-style poster with:
Helen & The Neighbourhood Dogs
Disappointment Bob
Fern Teather
Liquid lightshow by Gandalf’s Garden
DJ Jeff Dexter
Hive mind – get to it!
What’s this game, 6 degrees of John McLoughlin?